Dreams Are Just That...Dreams
by SWFreak061284
Summary: An unlikly memeber of the fellowship has strange nightmares...Reviews are needed because I need all the help I can get. Please Review!!! Later chapters to be written and posted with comments.
1. Chapter 1

First and foremost, I know this contains errors; forgive me, ok I didn't feel like editing it. Lol Reviews are welcomed.

Dreams Are Just That...Dreams

Chapter 1

The night air whipped around the company as the twilight of midnight crept up. The company had traveled day and night for the past two moonless nights, and Samwise was not a happy camper. Around him the darkness settled, and from what he could hear, there was not a creature for miles away.  
"The whole night is eerie and dank. I hope the whole quest isn't this way," his thoughts pondered weary from his travels. He trailed behind with Boromir and Bill, their supply carrier.

Just one week early he was sitting and listening to the wondrous tales the Elves were telling with their musical voices carrying the emotion of every part. Now, he and the rest of the nine companions traveled, in complete darkness, south to Gondor or Morder, he wasn't sure which yet. He pulled his cloak tighter around him and held the reins around Bill ever more securely. 

There was a bustle about up front, and Sam stopped. Strider came running back saying they should try and rest tonight and leave at dawn. "About time," Sam thought and smiled, "I could use a peaceful night sleep."

The group gathered around a clearing where the trees seemed to form a circle as if guarding them from the prying eyes of night. With little to no light Sam built himself his usual bed and laid down staring absently at the stars. His eyes drifted to the various ring members. Legolas was to be the watch for half the night, and the Elf's keen eyes seem to find something that no one else could see. Sam peered at his dear friend, Frodo, who just slept a yard away.

He noticed that his friend no longer slept peaceful and usually had fitful nights clawing at the darkness and talking to himself or someone in a dream. Frodo even seemed to hold his once wounded shoulder like the pain was coming back and he was yet again falling into darkness.

Sam turned over and shut his now tired eyes. For the moment the Elven eyes of Legolas could see no danger and the omniscient knowledge of Gandalf saw no malice in this forest. He felt almost safe.

***

Footsteps are the only thing Sam heard--and the steps were not his. Sam looked around at an unfamiliar setting. The air around him was cold--chilling him to the bone with his breath coming in small puffs. He looked down a narrow hallway made of stone, very old stone that had within each brick a history all in its own. 

The footsteps faded leaving on now a soft clanging. Sam pondered back to the black smith at the Shire hammering out dents in his shovels and garden picks. The noise crescendo-ed and echoed down the stone hallway he was standing in. The sound became unbearable to his hobbit hearing, and Sam covered his ears wincing.

The sound stopped then started again as softly as it began. Sam gathered his courage and walked forward with each step sluggish. He slowly looked around now noticing doors on either side of the walls. He dared not to open one for fearing what may lie behind it. Sam took in a deep cold breath and kept on walking forward seeming to get nowhere. His hand reached for one of the knobs to the wooden doors. 

Sam looked around seeing nothing but an infinite hallway leading to an infinite number of doors. The young hobbit examined the door and saw nothing that could be dangerous. He reached for the door and heard his name called.  
"Mr. Frodo?" Sam turned around and saw his friend standing there with his eyes hidden from an over-head light. A silence fell between the two with both not daring to move or to speak. Sam finally shattered the silence.

"Where are we?" Sam asked taking another look around. A new feeling had fallen in the room in the form of a looming darkness that obscure the hobbit's vision. Once again Sam was chilled with a more eerie feeling than the traveling had ever been. 

Frodo raised his head up to reveal is usually pale skin but the light gave him a grave look like that of the reaper himself. Sam backed away with Frodo coming forward normal as he had ever been before. Sam watched as the eyes of his master and friend turn into rings of fire. Sam ran away but seemed to not get any farther away from the demonic eyes.

He turned around and saw Frodo was joined with the black riders, grotesque in figure with the blazing, burning eyes. They opened their mouths and a wicked high-pitch scream sliced through the dense air. Sam covered his ears and stumbled back. His eyes fell to the same wooden door again.

Without hesitation his hand quickly went to the knob then twisted it as the hobbit fell through and shut the horrid voices out. Sam was now in a forest-- no it was somewhere closer-- he was home, but it was not his home. The sky was black and gray with smoke filling the air. Houses that were planted in a certain area were ripped out and replaced with cruel, wooden machines creating some evil too abhorred for him to imagine.

Tall men approached carrying chains within their gloved hands. Behind the tall men was a line of hobbits, slouched over with chains around their necks. Sam's eyes grew wider as he looked upon another figure, hobbit height and size with a gold collar around his neck being pulled like the rest.  
"Gollum?" Sam pondered never having never seen the vile creature that carried the ring first, but from stories, he gathered this might be the creature. Behind Gollum, Bilbo also had a gold collar and was like the others being pulled along by a chain. Bilbo looked old and gray with death hanging by his neck. Sam's heart sank as he saw Frodo follow Bilbo with the same gold collar pinched around his neck. All three were slouched, low to the ground, drudging through each and every step they took. The three lead the other hobbits to what Sam thought was their demise. Sam darted out only to be stopped dead in his tracks. 

His surprise was quickly smothered when he watched as a gold collar was fitted upon his neck. He let out a scream that no one could hear.

***

Sam raised up from the cold, humid floor panting with a sudden paranoia that he was trapped. His hands instinctively went to his neck and felt no collar present. Sam sighed, relieved, and heard the sound of soft music playing in the distance. The sound calmed his senses, but he was cautious before getting up. Around him the walls glittered with speckles of colored light that seem to peek behind the walls and puncture through the thick stone.

The hobbit seemed to move towards the music feeling the comfort wrap up around him like a security blanket. Sam reached a corner where light illuminated the hallway. His eyes peeked over the corner and saw light dancing across the room with Elves singing merrily and playing various instruments. Sam smiled slightly feeling like he was back in Rivendell with Frodo and Bilbo again.

He walked inside the lit room and gazed out the beauty that suddenly surrounded him. Without a care in the world Sam began to listen to the music the Elves were playing focusing on the sounds. He weaved through the crowds seeing various face he had seen before and paused when he saw Legolas standing alone by a window.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked approaching the Elf. The prince of Mirkwood turned his puzzled face to the young hobbit.

"Merry and Pippin are missing. I've been searching for them, but I'm afraid they are nowhere to be found." he said calmly then looked again. Sam furrowed his brows.

"They're not missing though," Sam said then turned around thinking he heard something other than the wondrous music playing. He turned back to Legolas only for the Elf to turn his eyes upon the hobbit and draw his bow with an arrow ready and aimed. All traces of the Elven prince were gone leaving only the horrid, disfigured creature the hobbits called Orcs. Sam shook his head in utter disbelief thinking that his friend did not just turn into a goblin before his eyes.

Sounds of disgruntled and broken voice filled the room. Sam forgot for a moment about Legolas to see a group of Orcs clawing at something. The hobbit noticed a hand covered with blood that showed under the weight of Orcs. Yelling and growling was heard then the group parted to reveal and bloodied Frodo, clothes ripped, with the one ring in the hands of an Orc. 

Darkness entered the room making the orcs cower to the ground. "Evil scaring evil must be a bad sign," he thought. Sam's knees gave out, and he was now on his knees with one hand supporting him. He didn't realize that he had been shot through the chest. The hobbit rolled over to his side and watched as waves of fire engulfed the room, Frodo, and him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sam!" a voice called out. Sam awoke, startled, then fearful when he saw Legolas crouched over him. The dawning rays of the sun peeked through the dense trees and found Sam signaling it was morning. Legolas looked at him strangely for a second.

"Are you all right little master?" the Elf asked generally concerned that the hobbit was suddenly afraid of him. Sam looked around noticing he was in the campsite, not a stone hallway, Frodo was wake and not lying dead, ravaged, and Legolas was not a gruesome orc. 

"I, I, I-I'm fine; just-just, you startled me for a moment," Sam lied rather poorly in fact. Legolas got up and woke the others. Sam shook his head and gently rubbed his eyes. He took one more look around. "Everything is fine, Sam; as my gaffer said _dreams are just that...dreams_.

Once the group was packed they left quickly and quietly. Sam stayed with Bill but this time along Merry and Pippin were with him talking about the times in Rivendell.

"Where are we?" Pippin asked looking around dumbfounded by the surroundings.

"You should have studied more maps instead of goofing off." Merry retorted. Pippin sighed and looked at Sam and Merry.

"You know I think I had a dream with Elves in it. It was like we were back in Rivendell again." Sam turned to Pippin looking slightly astonished. Pippin looked around him then gave a hobbit-confused look.

"What," Pippin asked then continued, "surely you dreamed of something peaceful last night, Sam?" The red head shook his head and looked at the ground silent. He finally answered.

"You could say Elves were in my dreams, Pippin." 

***

Just as before nightfall fell upon the travelers covering them with the chill of the winter night air and the cold blackness of the still moonless night. Sam looked around letting his eyes try to pry through the darkness and see the things around him--nothing, just darkness.

Frodo walked beside him silent. Earlier they spoke of Rivendell, the Shire and of Bilbo. Each time Sam neglected to mention his dream. Even now in almost total darkness he watched Frodo to see if his hobbit companion would somehow transform into a wicked demon or would drop dead.

_Dreams are just that...dreams._

"If that is so why am I so fearful that Legolas is going to attack me and Frodo is going to drop dead?" his thoughts argued. To pass the time he thought of songs he had learned as a young hobbit. Sam calmed down a bit, but still felt tense. He puzzled the dreams till his head hurt then tried thinking of songs involving dreams. He found very few, and they were not helpful.

"Maybe I should speak to someone about these dreams," Sam thought and looked in the dark for the company. Most were buried within the darkness, but Sam knew where everyone was direction wise. "Gandalf! Gandalf, will know what to make of the dreams." Sam shook his head, "Now lets not get anyone started worryin' about me. It's a silly dream that means absolutely nothing."

"Nothing..." he said aloud. Frodo turned his head to Sam.

"What'd you say Sam?" Sam faced Frodo and smiled in the darkness.

"N-N-N-nothing but darkness is here." Sam stuttered then looked at the empty darkness to emphasize his point. Frodo, from what Sam could tell, nodded in agreement.

"Everyone has a heavy heart about this quest, and this darkness is doing nothing to help that. I'll be glad when I see the morning light again. At least then I can see the things around me and not guess." Frodo said melancholy himself.

"So do I, Mr. Frodo. So do I."

***

Just as before the group settled in a secluded area with someone to watch the group. Tonight was Strider's watch night, and his face was sterner than usual. Sam was still awake while everyone else was asleep, peacefully it seemed. 

"Master Samwise," Strider called from a few yards away, "you're not tired?"

Sam couldn't see much of Strider's face but instead looked in the direction of the voice then answered "Just not sleepy I guess--a lot on my mind I suppose." Sam thought he saw Strider nod then re-adjust himself to a crouch position.

"Try to sleep anyway. We'll be making our final run before we get to the mountains." Sam laid down and curled up pondering about home and Bilbo's party. He drifted in and out of sleep before unconsciousness over took him completely.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sam awoke startled that something was wrong. Most of the fellowship was asleep with Boromir, Gimli and him the only ones up. The halfling looked around seeing a different setting then before. A river now ran parallel to the path they were taking and the trees where much different-- more alive and green. Things all together were brighter and more peaceful than before. The air around him seemed even more alive.

"Where are we? Where are the mountains?" he asked mentally and got up. Now everyone else was awake but moving faster than usual. Sam watched as events seemed to pass before his eyes like a story playing out that he wasn't a part of.

Quicker than his eyes could follow Orcs attacked. The moments now slowed down in front of him with Sam unable to move or think. He watched as Legolas draw from his quiver an arrow that was aimed at Boromir. Sam closed his eyes and the Elf turned into an Orc that shot Boromir several times. Sam tried to cry out but could not. He just sat and watched.

Aragorn ran through hacking and hewing Orcs, but there was something atop his brow. "A crown?" Sam pondered and watch. Aragorn had blood running down his face from the crown that looked as if it were cutting into him. Aragorn walked in front of Sam, not seeing him, and suddenly grew pale, deathly pale, with his skin pulled over his bones. He was but a walking dead body. Sam looked behind him and saw Merry and Pippin on the ground with Orcs huddled around them. He pondered to the moment he was speaking to Legolas.

__

Merry and Pippin are missing. I've been searching for them, but I'm afraid they are nowhere to be found. 

Legolas' words echoed in his mind, and Sam watched painfully as the battle played on more. An Orc ran to him and picked up the hobbit. The Orc was much taller than the others, like a man and an Orc were combined. Sam could not resist, even to get away from the pungent odor, and just waited for his fate. 

The Orc threw Sam into the river laughing manically. Sam's limbs felt numb, and he couldn't move them to swim (or try too anyway).He watched as the sunlight began to fade as he sunk farther. The hobbit gazed at the bottom of the river noticing the bodies of fallen soldiers. Sam screamed at the sight of the burial ground for the watery graves of the dead soldiers. A hand shot through the water and caught Sam's hand. He was pulled out to see that it was nighttime. Frodo, his rescuer, had a worried look. 

"Sam, you almost fell down the well. It would have been a long drop." Frodo said sternly but friendly like. Sam looked around and saw a light above piercing through most of the darkness. It wasn't night. The air was damp, cold and old like that of a cavern....or mine. Now standing with his friend's aid, the hobbit gathered his senses and examined everything that was suddenly coming into focus. Sam tried to remember where a mine came into play.

"Could these be the Mines of Moria?" he asked in thought. "But I've never seen the mines before!" Sam shook his head in dismay thinking the elusiveness of the dream would stay that way till it played out. 

Behind Frodo, Merry and Pippin were leaning against a stone box--a stone grave he figured. They had a strange look to them though. They were hunched over with their hands and feet tied. Sam studied them then looked at Boromir who had five arrows in his chest and abdomen, yet he was standing there as if there were none. Blood trickled down the front of his tunic and shirt then to the floor. 

To the distant corner Legolas and Gimli stood side by side only staring forward. The blank stares was not what concerned Sam the most; it was the fact they were joined by a chain. The chain itself looked like any other. "The two of the company that are most unlike and are joined together." the hobbit thought slightly mused.

Sam's eyes ventured then to Strider who once again was dawning a crown that was cutting into his flesh. He had blood flowing down his face as well. "Neither are feeling any pain?" Sam walked forward passing Frodo and to the stone grave where the top was opened. 

Sam took in a deep breath and looked in seeing Gandalf inside. His face was pale, peaceful with his eyes closed forever and his hands folded neatly across his chest. The hobbit staggered back and hit the far wall. "Gandalf dead!?" He closed his eyes and reopened them and saw the same things. Frodo walked up to Sam and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Frodo asked. Sam looked bewildered.

"Can you not see what's going on? Look at everyone!" Frodo turned his head and looked.

"I see nothing amiss, Sam."

"What about Gandalf? Boromir? Surely you see something wrong?" Sam pleaded raising his voice slightly. Frodo sighed, now annoyed and looked again. When the blued eyed hobbit went to Gandalf, he picked up the old wizard's arm, let it drop then went to Boromir and felt of every wound smearing in the blood in some places. Sam watched wondering when it was going to click with Frodo that something was wrong.

Sam's face became shocked when he saw his master and friend lick the blood from his hands then turned his head to Sam grinning evilly. Frodo's blue eyes were replaced with the rings of fire before glowing like bright lights in a cold darkness that lay behind his eyes.

Sam's eyes widen, and he tried to pull away, but he couldn't tear himself away from Frodo's deadly stare. Sam saw the things around the room flame up until only the section he and Frodo were standing in was left.

"Sam, I think you're on the wrong side of this matter. Everything is fine." Frodo said smiling then pushed Sam into a chasm that seem to appear within the flames. Sam fell watching his once friend grow smaller and smaller as he fell farther and farther down into the dark abyss. 

Sam shot up drenched with sweat panting; he looked around and saw Strider still up watching the darkness to catch anything that didn't belong. "How long was I asleep?" he pondered. "It couldn't have been minutes, the dreams were much too long. Or were they?" When the hobbit caught his breath and calmed down, Sam got up and went deeper in the forest. Strider protested.

"Where are you going, Sam? It's not safe to wander." Strider sternly said. Sam shook his head. "Better here than in my nightmares," he thought.

"I need to take a walk." Sam said urgently. It was not a question, and Strider allowed him. 

Sam walked deeper into the forest not caring if some hidden predator was to catch him. He needed to think-- alone. The night was colder but the lack of wind made the cold much bearable than before. Only the stars were his guide as the halfling walked a ways from the campsite, not straying too far. Sam sat down on the clean, fresh grass and leaned against a tree.

"That was the worse dream--nightmare yet." he pondered. "I need to talk to someone." Sam absently fingered the cloth of his cloak and continued to throw arguments out. "Why should anyone bother with my dreams? They're meaningless." "If that is so then why do they keep happening?" his thoughts argued. 

"I'm no wizard. I don't have visions. Then again, hobbits usually don't venture out this far..." Sam's ears heard the sound of a crack of a twig. He drew his blade and readied himself. 

"Sam!" a whisper came from the darkness. It was Frodo. Sam relaxed and put the blade up sitting back down. He called to Frodo, who sat in front of him slightly concerned that was cleverly hidden by a mask of content. The two didn't speak for a while.

"What's wrong, Sam? And don't you dare tell me it's nothing. You usually don't wake up in the middle of the night then leave." Frodo asked bluntly.

Sam sighed, "I-I've been having trouble sleeping," He laughed, " It's the strangest things; see, I keep having these frightful dreams. Never can stay asleep after I have one."

Frodo furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his friend, studying him. Both hobbits could barely see one another in the almost pitch black darkness. Sam was usually very verbose, but because he wouldn't talk, Frodo became slightly concerned.

"Was I in any of them?" Frodo asked in a happier tone. It didn't have quit that positive effect.

"You were, but it wasn't you. It was like an evil you. Not that you would be evil, Mr. Frodo, but it was that ring that corrupted you." Frodo placed a hand of his heart, where the ring lay, and looked grave. The blue eyed hobbit sighed.

"Sorry to hear that."

"Me too, but I do have a question for you. How are you sleeping these nights?" Sam asked slightly annoyed. Frodo was taken back, but responded. Both of them had shared some of the same dreams with walking dead and metamorphic Elves. The wind picked up telling them it was time to return to the campsite. Frodo lead the way with Sam looking from side to side paranoid that something would jump out. 

They reached the campsite just as Strider was waking Boromir for the next watch. The moment of Boromir standing with arrows in his chest flashed before Sam's eyes. The hobbit shook the feeling off and laid down in his spot star gazing. 

"If one's fate is determined by the stars, then what do the stars say about the fellowship....or me?" Sam asked and pondered more not wanting to fall back asleep.

The rest of the night Sam did not dream and soon the dawning light was upon the fellowship welcoming them to another day of endless travel and anticipation. Scaling the mountains was not a popular plan amongst the group, but after to cajoling from Gandalf, they tried to travel that way. Sam hated the cold weather and felt he would be frozen solid if he had to endure any more of the weather. When they failed to walk on the mountain, the next plan was to be decided.

Sam was wet and freezing when they reached bottom and gathered around the newly built campfire. Boromir shook his head obviously displeased by the fact the group even attempted such a folly. Aragorn was agitated because he knew the choice Gandalf had in mind-- it wasn't exactly his idea of a getting to Mordor.

"...but you and I have traveled through the mines and come out again," Gandalf argued to Aragorn. "Mines?" Sam pondered his dream which was now more of a blur then anything else. He did not wish to travel the mines and think that he may encounter what he saw in his dream. Just trying to remember what happen gave him a chill that travel up and down his spine.

Sam's gaze traveled from Gandalf and Aragorn to Frodo who just stared at the ground in deep thought. Merry and Pippin were beside him still looking a little sick and shaken from the snow. "Hobbits and snow don't mix," Sam thought and smiled for the first time in a while.

"It's up to the Ringbearer, but I will not go unless the whole vote of the company is against me," Boromir stated and looked at Frodo with eyes pleading to not go through the mines. Sam too did not want to travel that way. When Frodo said he would travel that way if Gandalf lead, Sam's heart sank. "Mines and rivers are not what I want to see," he said softly to himself as the fellowship prepared to stay the night in this quaint place at the foot of the mountains with a sliver of the moon appearing on the horizon as the sun dipped into the land.


End file.
